


rickrolled

by withoutwords



Series: Ballum Tumblr Fics [4]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, Karaoke, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27875593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/withoutwords/pseuds/withoutwords
Summary: Someone gave Ben a microphone. Callum had only been gone a few minutes, and by the time he got back Ben was standing up on stage at The Vic and holding a microphone.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: Ballum Tumblr Fics [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2040865
Comments: 1
Kudos: 32





	rickrolled

**Author's Note:**

> For a prompt, "I'm never letting you go."

Someone gave Ben a microphone. Callum had only been gone a few minutes, and by the time he got back Ben was standing up on stage at The Vic and _holding a microphone_. He’d had more than enough pints and one too many shots and whoever decided to allow this was going to have Callum to answer to. 

“He ain’t,” Callum says as he goes to join Jay and Lola - who both look way too pleased for their own good.

“Oh, he is, mate,” Jay says with a laugh, and claps Callum on the shoulder. “What? You never heard the sweet stylings of one Mr. Ben Mitchell?”

“Oh God, he’s terrible ain’t he? How terrible is he?”

Before Jay can answer him, the screech of the amp makes everyone wince and look over to Ben on the stage. Mick’s helping him get cords detangled and Linda’s laughing as she cues up the song and Callum’s going to kill them. Slow and painfully.

“Alright,” Ben says, and Callum can see him searching the crowds for him, ducking behind Mitch and out of view. “This one’s for my boo, my honey, my,”

“Jesus,” Callum groans, and whatever his other loving nicknames were going to be are drowned out by Jay’s laughter.

“This is for you, Cal,” he calls out, and suddenly Rick Astley comes blaring out of the speakers.

Of course it’s Rick Astley. Callum has never felt more like the butt of a joke than right now. His cheeks are literally on fire. Lola passes him the drink he’d been sitting on, smirking, and he downs it in one gulp. 

“ _We’re no strangers to love,_ ” Ben starts to croon, Callum looking up in surprise. He actually sounds okay. “ _You know the rules and so do I._ ”

He sounds _better_ than okay. When Callum sees him, he’s smiling and moving and confident. He hits the notes without any real effort and doesn’t even need to look at the prompter to know the words. Callum hears himself gasp.

“ _A full commitments what I’m thinking of_ ,” Ben goes on, Callum glancing at Jay with his mouth half open in shock. Jay just laughs at him again. “ _You wouldn’t get this from any other guy_.”

Callum is transfixed. Ben just laps up all the attention as he sings - the crowd hoots and hollers and cheers. He’s good at this. He’s really good. He has such a strong voice, and he dances around the stage like he’s been doing it for years. But he hasn’t, has he? He’d tell Callum if he had a history in performing.

As the song starts to come to a close, Callum pushes through the crowd to get closer; ignoring everyone’s jeers.

Ben meets him with a cocky grin, pulling Callum in by the waist. “You like that, Halfway?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you could sing?” Callum asks, mouth close to Ben’s ear so he can be heard over the next song. Whitney Houston.

“You didn’t ask,” Ben says with a shrug, as if that’s an explanation. He pulls Callum in even closer, motioning for a kiss, and Callum supposes he deserves that at least. They’re not big on PDA but Ben’s drunk, and he just wowed half of Walford with that song, so Callum will let it go.

“I mean it, you know,” Ben says, the two of them curled together and swaying to the music.

“What’s that?”

“That song, what it says. I ain’t letting you go. Never.”

“Oh, really?” Callum grins down at him. He’s a little hazy eyed, and getting sleepy now, and Callum’s not sure how many more of these surprises he can take. He thinks his heart might bust open from the weight of it. “Never?”

“Never. Never gonna give you up. Never gonna let you down. Never gonna - ”

“Alright, alright,” Callum groans, and moves in for another kiss just to make him stop. “You were great you know. The singing. I loved it.”

Ben hums. “Good. Good. Plenty more where that came from.”

“Just maybe not 80s ballads.”

“Oh, no. No. There’s always time for 80’s ballads.”

Callum groans and lets his head fall onto Ben’s shoulder, Ben just laughing at him and holding on tighter.

That’s the sweetest sound, really. Laughter. Callum making Ben happy. The both of them, making each other happy.

Callum will always like that song.


End file.
